Every time I walk by a construction site (which is pretty much every day I leave the apartment nowadays) I wonder how the neighbors must deal with it. This is especially true of sites which strike me as being, how shall we say, sub-par from a professional stand-point. Well, this property (which bore the vestiges of a Stop Work Orderwhich appears to have been lifted) piqued my interest so I went in for a closer look. I’m glad I did!

A neighbor has elected to use this opportunity to create an open air art gallery! The curator seems to have a taste for landscapes, but as you can see black velvet genre (a bullfighting scene, no less) abstraction are also represented. But it does not end there.

No sir, there’s more! Note the still life of a Harpoon ale bottle. However, without argument the following was the show-stopper…

I call this one “Vampire Clown with Black Cat”. What it lacks in “technique” it more than makes up with subject matter and, um, feeling. Sweet dreams, Garden Spotters!

Many of you have undoubtedly noticed that I have not been terribly prolific on the blog. This should not be construed as a lack of interest in the affairs of this community (or this city in overall). Quite to the contrary: I have been quite busy. About a month ago I had a revelation: why not tap into what is the Garden Spot’s most renewable resource? This, of course, is garbage.

Think about it, gentle readers: litter is not only free but by making regular “collection” runs I am, albeit in a small way, making this community a cleaner place. What’s more, by (tongue firmly in cheek) “up-purposing” Greenpoint garbage I am raising awareness about the problem here. And we most assuredly have a problem.

Presently my focus is on drug baggies. These, as I have discovered, come in an array of colors and designs. The working plan is to fill the following 5 1/2 inch diameter snow globe with them.

The working title for this piece is “Taste the Rainbow” (for obvious reasons).

As you can see it is still in progress. Very pretty if I may say so myself! Over the last month I have acquired no less than 181182 baggies. These were “sourced” exclusively in Greenpoint/11222. I felt parameters needed to be established. What’s more, Williamsburg probably would have proved to be too easy. But I digress.

This project has led to a number of fascinating discoveries. For starters, most of the baggies I have found were discarded (and presumably consumed) in our public parks. I have long suspected this was/is the case— now I have some numbers to back it up. Playgrounds are not spared either. The item to the left was found in the playground at WNYC Transmitter Park. I also found five on the premises of the Vincent V. Abate Playground. One specimen had the Superman logo emblazoned on it. Regardless of one’s position on the “war on drugs” you gotta appreciate that kind of wiseassedness.

This piece’s working title is “Magic Carpet Ride”.

The other location I have found a significant number of baggies is development sites. Especially those which are stalled and/or sport sidewalk sheds. Sidewalk sheds = privacy. Makes sense. Drug paraphernalia is not the only thing I have found at them, hence the (ostensible) purpose of this post. I have spied a few sullen utterances of revolt scrawl on them during my rounds. I am not the least bit surprised by this. Follows is a curated selection of those I found especially compelling and/or entertaining. Enjoy!

1. India Street

This one is somewhat indecipherable but the rage come across nonetheless.

2. 26 West Street

There are not less than three churlish missives on this one. Two are plainly visible. Follows is the third one. It is located to the left of “No Future”.

And last, but hardly least…

3. Orient Avenue at Olive Street

As you can see this property had been served a Stop Work Order. Let’s go in for a closer look!

Great stop more of these bastards.

If the Department of Buildings is paying attention someone is very appreciative of your work. Happy Monday!

I am pleased to announce that not only has “TTB” been successfully spelled out using Greenpoint’s medium of choice (empty liquor bottles) but the anonymous artist at workplay has moved onto the next subway grate!

Hmm.I wonder what message our mystery artist wishes to share? I am going to go out on a limb here and predict something along the lines of the following….

By and large my inbox is pretty boring. Press releases mostly. Eric Adams is by and large the most prolific. However when my own sister-in-law stumbles upon a find such as this— and thinks of me— quite frankly, I am touched. She writes:

…at first worried maybe you would be offended…

Quite to the contrary. I have been called and/or likened to much worse things.

In closing, if Reverend Jen (or her friends) are paying attention; I have brought Reverend Jen’s work to my sister in law’s attention. She very much wants the proprietress of the Lower East Side Troll Museum herself to see this work of art. It does, by all appearances, seem to be a painting of the kind of trolls Jen collects and loves. Make it happen, Internet hive mind!